


Keeping us tied and true

by styleztomlinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cuddling, Dancing, Domesticity, Fluff, M/M, this is just 3600 words of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 02:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4462784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/styleztomlinson/pseuds/styleztomlinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Louis plan a night of magic, and create some magic of their own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping us tied and true

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Colferseverett](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Colferseverett/gifts).



> This is a surprise gift to my best friend [Jesse](http://shipscompass.tumblr.com). You've already received a much sappier text message than this note, but you're my baby and I love you more than anything. I am so, so lucky to have you in my life.
> 
> This is unbeta'ed, and any mistakes are my own. The event that is mentioned throughout this is the [Believe in Magic Cinderella ball](http://t.co/jLbjiwQ8LQ). The title is from My Old Man by Joni Mitchell.

Louis leaned his back against the kitchen chair, swallowing a mouthful of Yorkshire tea as Anne typed away on her iPad.

“I’m going to make some calls later in the week, and see if we can get a hold of a few princess dresses and prince outfits,” he said once he’d put the cuppa down. “Hazza and I were talking about it, and we both agreed that we want the little ones to actually get the outfits, y’know? We don’t want to just rent them, we want them to have something to remember the night by. So they can hold onto it for a little bit longer, if you will.” 

“That sounds lovely, darling,” Anne said, glancing up from the screen and giving him a motherly smile before resuming the clicking of her fingertips against the screen. 

“And tiaras, of course. Can’t have a Cinderella ball without tiaras, can we?”

“I should hope not.”

“That’s outside of the budget, though, mum. Write that down, please, so the workers don’t have a heart attack when they see what we want to do. Haz and I will cover the outfits and the lot, since it’s primarily our idea.”

As if on cue, Louis could hear the front door being opened. Dusty perked up from where she was lying on one of the kitchen chairs, her ears twitching in interest at the sound of someone arriving. 

“Honey, I’m home!” Louis heard from the hallway, making him shake his head fondly.

“Not _our_ home, Hazza!” he called back, which was very much true. While they did have a house of their own in Cheshire, they were currently visiting Anne and Robin. With all the planning they were doing for the ball in August, both him and Harry, even though he was the only one officially linked to the event, it had made sense to spend the first couple of nights at their house.

“Now, now, mister,” Anne teased, “I do believe you know better than that. Of course this is your home, too.” 

Louis smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I know, mum.”

Just then, Harry entered the kitchen. Dusty jumped down from the chair to waltz around his legs, purring contentedly when Harry kneeled down to pet her fur and scratch behind her ears.

“Not so rusty for your age, are you, Dusty? No you’re not,” Harry cooed, kissing her head before standing up.

“Rusty and dusty? Seriously, Harold?” Louis quipped.

“Someone’s jealous I didn’t greet them first,” Harry said, smiling at him. Louis’ breath hitched in his throat.

God. Even after five years of being a couple, Harry still managed to take his breath away. He was dressed down to avoid being seen, his hair pulled up in a bun, a pair of black boots donning his feet, black skinny jeans wrapped around his legs and a soft, grey jumper to keep him warm in the chilly British weather. 

Five years later and he was still the most beautiful thing Louis had ever seen. He always would be.

“Well _someone_ is much too far away,” he replied. 

Harry continued to smile as he made his way around the kitchen table and leaned down to wrap his arms around Louis’ shoulders from behind. Louis covered Harry’s hand with his own, lacing their fingers together as he tilted his head up to press a kiss to his jaw. He angled his head to find Harry’s lips in a soft kiss, welcoming him home.

“Hi, love,” he murmured against his lips, smiling when Harry rested his temple against his.

“Planning going well?” Harry asked as Louis nuzzled his neck. 

“Mhm,” he answered, breathing in the scent of his boy. “Your mum is an angel.” 

“Don’t I know it.” 

“And yet _I_ haven’t gotten a single greeting at all,” Anne quipped, mirth lacing her tone.

Harry laughed quietly, pressing a kiss to Louis’ temple before disentangling himself and padding over to her, leaning down to kiss her right cheek, and then the left for good measure.

“Hi mum, love you. You’re looking gorgeous today.” 

“Nice try, you charmer.”

“He just always brings it out of the bag, doesn’t he?” Louis said.

“You would know.”

Louis just smiled at her as Harry walked back to him, sitting himself down in his lap, wrapping his arms around him. He gave a quick tug to one of his curls before pulling him in closer against him, his arms sneaking their way around his waist to steady him, and to keep him closer. Always keep him closer. 

“You should see if there are any tiaras left when you make the calls later on,” Harry said softly, smiling at his spouse. “Keep some for ourselves. Maybe some for the future, too.” 

“You’ll be my very own Prince Charming then, Hazza?” Louis murmured, his breath ghosting over Harry’s lips. “Or my own Cinderella, perhaps? Minus the sleeping for a century, of course. Don’t think I could go that long without kissing those lips of yours, love.”

“Well you’re mine, innit? It’s only suitable that my Prince Charming has his very own. Or Cinderella.”

“I can definitely get behind that. You’d look lovely with a tiara in those locks of yours, Curly. All sparkling and the like.” 

“Mhm,” Harry murmured his assent. “Missed you,” he continued, brushing their lips together. They could never go too long without kissing each other.

“I missed you too, babe.” 

“Because he was gone for such a long time, right?” Anne said, the teasing obvious in her voice as she glanced down at her watch before continuing, “How dreadful these past two hours must have been for you.”

“Indeed,” Louis agreed, tightening his hold around Harry. 

“Then again, I really shouldn’t be surprised at this point, should I? Jay and I still remember that Christmas conversation, you know. ‘ _As I might miss him_ ’. It was three days, boys. Three days.”

Harry blushed, his cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink before he buried his nose in Louis’ neck, leaving a kiss there. Louis smiled at Anne, one of his hands coming up to play with Harry’s curls. They’d both been teased numerous times for that one incident, and other countless ones that their families found endearing and funny. Honestly, at this point he wouldn’t be surprised if Ernie and Doris would bring it up the next time they visited.

“What can I say?” Louis said, his voice soft and quiet. “Can’t be without my Hazza for too long, can I?”

He felt rather than saw Harry smile against his neck as Anne fondly shook her head at them. Louis smiled, pressing a kiss to Harry’s hair before they resumed discussing the plans for the ball, Harry looking over the decisions they had made while he was away all the while maintaining curled up on Louis’ lap. His hand found Louis’ where it was resting on his waist, interlacing their fingers and giving it a gentle, loving squeeze. 

Life was good.

\---

After deciding on the last of the final decisions for the event, Anne said a quiet goodnight to her boys, kissing their cheeks before heading to bed. Harry and Louis stood up, Harry wincing a little and bringing a hand to the small of his back.

“Hey,” Louis said, facing him. “Why don’t you go sit down and find something for us to watch while I make us a cuppa, hm?”

Louis could see how he was ready to protest, but he would not have any of it. “Come on, love,” he urged as he turned Harry around and started removing the pink hair tie that held his bun up, “You need to rest your back for a bit,” he continued, gently working his fingers through his soft curls before pressing a kiss to them.

“Alright,” Harry finally agreed, slumping somewhat against him.

“There’s a good boy.” 

Harry turned around and gave him a kiss – because they were just that sappy, not willing to leave the room before parting with a touch of their lips, no matter the situation; as they might miss each other, one could say – before heading into the living room, Dusty trailing behind him with her tail swooshing in the air.

Louis smiled fondly at them for a moment before turning to the stove and getting started on making them each a cuppa. When he was done he headed into the living room. He smiled when he saw Dusty curled up on Harry’s lap, his fingers softly petting her fur. 

“Hi babe,” Louis said before sitting down next to him. Dusty looked up from Harry’s lap, her eyes half closed from the contentment of Harry petting through her fur. Louis couldn’t blame her, really. Harry stopped his ministrations to lean in to peck Louis’ lips, making Dusty get up and settle down in the corner of the sofa, instead. Louis leaned in for one, two, three closed-mouthed kisses more before placing his legs in Harry’s lap, tucking himself in close against his boy.

“What’s the screening of today, then?” he asked, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

“I found mum’s DVD copy of _Dirty Dancing_. Figured it could make for some lazy viewing.”

Louis smiled and rested his head against Harry’s shoulder, taking his hand in his own and slotting their fingers together like two pieces of a puzzle. Like two halves of a whole. “Sounds perfect, love.”

\---

“Baby. My sweet baby,” Louis cooed in Harry’s ear as the Baby on screen crawled across the floor to her Johnny. “You’re the one.”

Harry giggled, his dimple appearing in his cheek as he turned to press their lips together. When Louis pulled away too quickly for his liking, he chased after his lips, leaving a soft kiss to them once, twice, and thrice more.

The film soon drew to a close, with Johnny appearing on the screen and declaring that nobody puts Baby in a corner. Louis was definitely inclined to agree – nobody puts _his_ baby in a corner, either.

Suddenly, Harry disentangled himself from Louis’ embrace and eased himself up from the sofa. He turned around with a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, holding his hand out to him.

“May I have this dance?”

Louis smiled, the fondness all but radiating from his features as he placed his hand in Harry’s and stood up.

“Why Johnny boy,” he said, “I believe you just might.”

“Heeey.”

“Harry boy,” Louis corrected softly they moved around to get into position, Harry’s hand coming to rest on his waist and his own curling around Harry’s shoulder. “My lovely, lovely Hazza.” 

As _(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life_ started in the background on the screen, Harry dipped Louis just as Johnny dipped Baby in the film, making Louis laugh quietly. When they were standing once more, Louis turned around in Harry’s embrace, his back against his chest. He giggled as Harry trailed his hand down his torso, pinching his side when it turned into more of a tickle session than a dance.

“Focus, Styles.”

Harry laughed as his hand found purchase on Louis’ waist, bringing their lips together for a soft kiss before using his hand to gently push him away just as Louis twirled.

If Louis could say it himself, they were doing a better job than Baby and Johnny on the screen. And apparently he did say it out loud, because the next thing he knew Harry was giggling softly as he pulled him against him once more, with his dimple appearing when Louis poked it with his index finger. 

“And you say that I’m the one who talks some shit.”

“Oi, Styles,” Louis said, “don’t knock my judgment. Just trust me on this.”

“Trust you on a lot of things, Lou. Trust you with everything.”

Louis’ gaze softened, his hand giving Harry’s shoulder a loving squeeze. “Likewise, darling.”

To the best of their ability, they recreated the famous dance scene between Baby and Johnny right their in Anne and Robin’s living room. As the music was almost drawing to its close, Baby and Johnny were preparing for the notoriously known lift on the screen. 

“Oh no, Haz,” Louis said as Harry walked backwards away from him, creating distance between them. “We are not doing that.” 

“C’mon, Lou. It’s mandatory.”

“I don’t want your back to hurt any more than it already does, love. Besides, who knows what might go wrong in here? I might break one of Anne’s vases and she’ll end up resenting her son-in-law.”

“As if she could ever hate you, Lou. And my back will be fine. Come on. I want do this.”

“No.”

“Please?” he said, knowing full well what he was doing when he brought out the pouting lips and big doe eyes. 

“You don’t play fair, Styles.”

“I never said I did,” Harry grinned mischievously in reply. “And that’s future Tomlinson to you.” 

Louis smiled fondly at his boy before he backed up a bit to create some more needed distance for the probably very foolish lift they were about to make.

“If you drop me, you better be ready to catch me, Harold. It won’t do me bum any good to fall on it.”

“I’m not going to drop you, baby.”

“All talk and no action, here.” 

Harry shook his head fondly before crooking his finger. “Come to me,” he murmured. 

Louis took a moment to just admire his boy before he took a deep breath, bracing himself. In time with Baby on the screen, albeit not as far and not as fast as her because the living room was decidedly smaller than the venue in the film, he swiftly walked forward towards him.

Harry picked him up with a near effortless move of his arms, holding him above his head and looking up at him.

“See,” he grinned. “I told you I wouldn’t drop you,” he said, even as Louis noted that they were somewhat unsteady.

“Don’t count your blessings just yet, Hazza, ‘m still up in the air here.”

Harry laughed as he used the hold he had on Louis waist to lower him down. Louis smiled as he wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist, and his arms around his neck. Harry enfolded him in his embrace, his hands splayed against his back.

“This reminds me of something,” he murmured against Harry’s lips before capturing them in a kiss.

“It must be a good something, if you still remember it.”

“Mhm,” Louis said, his fingers tangling in Harry’s curls before giving him another peck and continuing, “This lad I barely knew caught me when I jumped into his arms after being placed in a band with him. It was a very good something.”

“The very best,” Harry said, his voice soft and full of love.

“The very best,” Louis agreed, his gaze nothing but fond. 

“You’re my very best, Lou,” Harry said, resting his forehead against his.

Louis smiled against his lips, unable to resist kissing him once more before burying his face in the crook of his neck and breathing him in. “Likewise, Hazza. Likewise. Always.”

\---

When the film drew to a close, Harry and Louis quietly got ready for bed, Dusty trailing behind them up to the guest bedroom. They brushed their teeth together in the ensuite bathroom, smiling at each other when they caught the other looking in the mirror, and kissing once they were finished.

Louis admired the view as Harry took off his clothes and folded them over the rocking chair positioned by the window. Harry smiled softly at him before crawling into the bed. “Am I going to have to sleep alone, Tomlinson?”

“Never,” Louis vowed. 

While Louis removed his own clothes, Dusty jumped onto the bed and preened under Harry’s attention. Louis smiled softly at them before getting into bed, pulling the covers up over both their bodies. They both laughed quietly when Dusty’s disgruntled head appeared from beneath it, being none too pleased by ending up in the dark. 

“Sorry, Dusty,” Louis offered, reaching his hand out and smiling when she bumped her head against it. “You’re still our favourite cat.”

“Our _only_ cat, so far,” Harry interjected.

“Yeah,” Louis smiles. “So far.”

Harry tilted his head for brief brush of their lips before he shifted around on the bed, lying down fully on his side. Louis settled down behind him, tangling their legs together and nestling his toes in between Harry’s calves before bringing their bodies flush against each other, chest to back. He smiled as he pressed a sweet kiss to the back of his neck, Harry’s long curls tickling his face. Harry smiled, taking a hold of Louis’ arm and wrapping it around himself, resting his own on top of it and slotting their fingers together.

Louis hoisted himself up so he could slot their lips together in a lingering kiss, because they never fall asleep without one, before settling back down again, bringing their interlaced hands up to rest right above Harry’s heart. 

“I love you a whole lot, y’know,” Louis murmured against his neck, his lips brushing a soft kiss there. “I love you so much, baby.”

“I love you too,” Harry replied, even though his eyes were drooping. As if he’d miss out on a chance of telling Louis how much he loves him. As if Louis didn’t already know. “More than anything, Lou.”

Louis smiled softly, fondly, as he watched Harry’s eyes droop until they were closed, and as he drifted off to sleep. Dusty padded around on the bed before finally settling down next to Louis’ head, her head right by his ear, making Louis hear her quiet little sniffles as she fell into slumber.

As Louis waited for sleep to come, he felt more content and happier than he had in a long time. Him and the boys were having so much fun on stage again; gone were the monotonous shows where it was just a matter of going through the motions. They were enjoying themselves again, laughing with each other on stage and interacting with fans and loving every second of it. They were just finishing the new album, and Louis was pretty sure that it was going to be one they were most proud of yet. 

And then there was him and Harry.

Harry, the lovely, wonderful boy who’d taken Louis’ breath away and captured his heart when he just 18. Harry, whom he’d fallen in love with upon first laying his eyes on him, and who he still fell in love with all over again every single day, loving him more and more with every moment that passed.

Him and Harry, who had fought for such a long time to be able to even acknowledge each other in public, and who were now in a place where it wasn’t an unknown concept for them to interact in front of thousands of people. They were finally at the point of their public closeting where coming out was no longer a far away dream for the future, but a dream that was just within reach. A dream that would soon, so soon they could almost grasp hold of it, would become a reality. A reality where Louis would be able to hold his boyfriend’s hand in public, give him a kiss just because he felt like it, hold him close for no other reason than for the pure need to always be closer. A reality where he would be able to publicly declare his love for him as loud as he possibly could, and louder, still. A reality in which the whole world would know that they are each other’s; best friends, boyfriends, lovers, partners, future husbands, other half. Each other’s one and only. Each other’s everything, forever tied to each other in every sense of the world. 

There was no denying that they’d had a road filled with ups and downs to get to where they were now, and neither of them was expecting the remaining path to being free to be completely without bumps and obstacles. But it was a path that was _theirs_ , bumps and obstacles included. They both knew without the slightest hint of doubt that they’d come out on the other side all the stronger in the end, proudly holding each other’s hand and radiating so much happiness and love that they could burst with it.

Louis smiled to himself as he buried his nose in Harry’s neck and breathed in the smell of apple-scented shampoo, the slight tinge of sweat and the overpowering smell that was just Harry. His favourite one of them all. He hummed the melody to _(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life_ as he closed his eyes and felt his body relaxing, smiling to himself at the truth that was in the lyrics. _‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life,_ he hummed, his lips brushing against Harry’s neck and leaving barely there kisses in their wake, _and I owe it all to you._

Louis brushed a kiss to Harry’s shoulder as he shifted himself around slightly to make himself more comfortable. Their bodies were pressed so close together that it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. As he fell asleep wrapped around Harry, wrapped around the boy who would forever be his _home_ , Louis thought of the words, the words that were now printed on customized clothing for the world, for themselves to be reminded of. It was the words they had uttered to themselves, to each other, months upon months ago, when being free and each other’s had gone from being a distant hope for the future to a present just within their reach, close enough for them to touch, to revel in. The words resonated through his body as he curled himself around Harry’s, always wanting, needing to be closer.

_The future is now._

**Author's Note:**

> Hiii. Thank you so much for reading! Any kind of feedback brightens my day and means the world to me, in case you feel like it. I'm [styleztomlinson](http://styleztomlinson.tumblr.com) on Tumblr, too, if you want to stop by and say hi. Have a nice day!


End file.
